Empire Airman
British Steam merchant
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| Name | Empire Airman | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 6,586 tons | ||
| Completed | 1916 - Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino, Trieste | ||
| Owner | Mark Whitwell & Son Ltd, Bristol | ||
| Homeport | Newcastle | ||
| Date of attack | 22 Sep 1940 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-100 (Joachim Schepke) | ||
| Position | 54° 00'N, 18° 00'W - Grid AL 6551 | ||
| Complement | 37 (33 dead and 4 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | HX-72 | ||
| Route | Wabana, Conception Bay - Halifax - Cardiff | ||
| Cargo | Iron ore | ||
| History | Completed in February 1916 as fleet collier SMS Teodo of the Pola Class for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. 1921 transferred to Italy as war reparation and taken over by the Ministry of Transport. 1923 renamed Barbana for Ministry of Marine and 1926 renamed Barbana G. for Società Anonima Co-operativa di Navigazione Garibaldi, Genoa. On 10 Jun 1940, the ship was taken as prize at sea off Leith, taken to Methil and renamed Empire Airman by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). | ||
| Notes on event | At 00.22 hours on 22 Sep 1940 the Empire Airman (Master John Brown Raine) in station #91 of convoy HX-72 was damaged by one torpedo from U-100 about 340 miles west of Bloody Foreland. The ship was taken in tow but sank on 23 September in 55°11N/15°07W. The master, 31 crew members and one gunner were lost. Four crew members were picked up by HMS La Malouine (K 46) (LtCdr R.W. Keymer, RN) and landed at Greenock. | ||
| On board | We have details of 34 people who were on board. | ||
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